Recipe

Make Batter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter three 8″- or 9″-diam. cake pans and line with parchment paper.
3. Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt to large bowl. Stir with a fork to combine.
4. Combine water, oil and vanilla in large measuring cup.
5. Pour liquids into flour mixture, stirring with fork until combined. Give batter 15 to 20 good strokes with whisk to break up any flour lumps.
6. Divide batter evenly between three pans. Sprinkle each with 1⁄3 cup milk chocolate chips.

Make Cakes

1. Bake cakes until they start to come away from sides of pans and a tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Transfer cake pans to rack to cool and let sit 10 minutes. Run knife along edges of pans, then turn out cakes onto rack to cool completely.

Make Frosting

1. Combine chocolate chips in microwave- safe bowl. Microwave on medium heat 45 seconds. Stir. Repeat until chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
2. Whisk cocoa powder into coffee, forming paste. Stir paste into melted chocolate until smooth. Let mixture cool to room temperature.
3. Beat butter and icing sugar in large bowl with handheld electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Scrape in chocolate mixture and continue beating until smooth and fluffy.

Ice Cake

1. Place one cake layer on serving platter. Spoon on 1 heaping cup of frosting and spread to edges.
2. Repeat with next layer and top with final layer.
3. Use remaining frosting to coat top and sides of cake.
4. Serve cake at room temperature.